Aunt Roachy, A Dignified Cockroach Poem by Elayne Ogbeta

Aunt Roachy, a dignified cockroach,
In her armour, glossy brown.
She received a fancy invite,
So she's marching into town.

What — you haven't seen a cockroach in Manchester?
Then you haven't seen anything yet!
Aunt Roachy's coming into Manchester,
And she doesn't even mind getting wet!

She's heading straight to Waterstones,
That's what the invite says.
Proudly shuffling, sneakily strutting,
In her cockroach sassy ways.

What — you haven't seen a cockroach in Manchester?
Then you haven't seen anything yet!
Aunt Roachy's coming into Manchester,
And she doesn't even mind getting wet!

Up, up, up the escalators,
Marching to her own beat,
To the fabulous children's section,
Where avid readers meet.

What — you haven't seen a cockroach in Manchester?
Then you haven't seen anything yet!
Aunt Roachy's coming into Manchester,
And she doesn't even mind getting wet!

"Pssst, pssst… can you hear that hissing?
Is it coming from the ceiling? "
Suddenly there's one ginormous,
Unprecedented squealing —
Reeling, cartwheeling, keeling—
"ARRRGH!
There's a cockroach in the bookstore! "

"You're disgusting! " "You're ugly! "
Swat! Bash! Swat! "Get out of here! "
"You're nasty! " "You're scary! " —
Go on… just disappear!

Aunt Roachy stood in shocked silence.
"What undignified welcome is this?
I've come all this way for my appointment,
And I can't get a hug or a kiss? "

"Stop all this ruckus at once, "
Said a child, peeping over a book.
"This is a most beautiful cockroach —
Come closer and have a good look."

"Ooh! " "Arrrh! " "Wow! " "Stunning! "
They gathered around to admire.
"You can all have an autograph or selfie soon —
I'm so glad that I could inspire."

Anansi dropped down from the ceiling
With a big fat cheeky smile.
"Aunt Roachy, I'm so glad you came —
I haven't seen you for a long while."

"Well, I invited you because I've been lonely,
And I wanted to see your beautiful face.
Here we can read and have a nice cuppa,
For this is my favourite place! "

"That's very sweet of you, my dear friend.
No one has ever noticed me that way.
I guess I do look a little scary,
But I actually do care what people say."

So what's it like to see a cockroach in Manchester?
Was it what you would expect?
Aunt Roachy — a dignified cockroach,
Who doesn't mind getting wet?